New Single - The Writing on the Wall

This is far from the first time that Maiden took a loose lyrical concept and created a lot of thematic material around it in the form of posters/artwork/etc. In fact, that’s pretty much what they do best. Almost every album they’ve made has a rich concept in the artwork and title but it usually only relates to a few songs (if that). Not surprised that it’s the case here so far too.

Like taking one of the most eerily prophetic books of our time - Brave New World - and turning it into nonsensical shit about twisted swans and queening dragons, maybe?

Or, well, The Wicker Man, a haunting cult movie with a subtle social commentary got turned into... what exactly?
 
Now on my 12th or 13th listen (lost count) anyways, this is so good. Last night I had even dreams of this.
Especially the intro fits to the scene, acoustic western vibes..something really new on Maiden album.
Adrian's solo is over the top great! So, I've mentioned this little praise couple times already but you know, I have to.
This is one of the best reunion-era singles right there beside with The Wicker Man and The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg,
all 3 showing really promising sign from the album they were taken from.
 
First impression - what?
After a couple of spins - by far their best single since The Wicker Man. Sounds cohesive and tight, big improvement in sound quality over BoS, glad they’re trying out new things and cool that it’s in drop D tuning (seems like the whole gang is in drop D, even the bass).
The singles are usually the worst songs of the albums and if this is the weakest song on the new record, man are we in for a treat! Love it!

I did predict a Montsegur/King in Crimson type of song, but was dead wrong. Got the drop D tuning right though, hope they’ll use it on more songs - Bruce sounds great, better than in a long time.
 
Yep, I agree most of the time with the singles that were released before the actual album, atleast the ones released during reunion-era, aren't even near the best song of those albums anyways.
And they mostly just don't necessarily represent the whole album and instead they feel like little more loose and disconnected to the overall picture.
So if this first song from the upcoming album is so good anyways, I wonder what kind of treats, gems and stuff they have prepared for us?
Im even more looking forward to the new album, if I was +100% into it before yesterday, now it's totally like +110% or even more like +120%.
 
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Damn it. Whoever said YouTube and Apple Music Mix are two different worlds was right. While watching the movie on YT, I had VERY mixed feelings. I just fired up Apple Music and these are two completely different songs - this song is REALLY good when you listen to it on other platforms. I'm looking forward to the album.
 
@Meliegree the sound was more compressed on the announcement-stream, I listened to the song from couple different services (Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Tidal and Qobuz) on my main system and it did sound noticeably better as the vocals were more in front and much clearer.
 
After yet another bunch of listens I do think this is the most refreshing release Maiden have done since FotD. This is a Bruce solo material and brings freshness to Maiden. It does this by not completely renewing their music, still the vibe and the structure of the song is a bit different. I hope the album brings further surprises! You have to keep Maiden relevant in 2020-ish (this dates back to 2019 I know) and the new video, visuals and the sound ensure that. And come on, the sound is absolutely great! Compare with BOS, this is way ahead. At last there is some reverb on both the vocals and the guitars, I started to dislike the constant dry sound they had recently.
 
Another listen this morning.

First of all, the first solo is Dave, the second H, dunno what some of you have been smoking.

Second of all, the solos are both awesome. I mean, I'm not a huge H fan, but he seems to be bending over backwards to make me become one.

Though it's not that unique - I have a thousand complaints about TBOS, but the guitars there were stellar, at least in my book.
 
Can't get enough of this dreamy song.
Smith/Dickinson: what a masterful combo!
Have a good day, you all... And, btw...

Have you seen the writing on the wall?
Have you seen that writing?


:wub:
 
Now that I think of it, there's a lot of better possibilities

Have you seen the writing on the wall?
Yet there's no hand writing?


or

So peculiar a sighting? or something...

And with the second half of the chorus, leave the repetition (see them riding), with that particular line and only once in the chorus (and later within it, not at such a prominent place) the repetition works better, IMHO.
 
The song is a nice surpeise. I´ve had strong Rory Gallagher and Rainbow vibes and than after few listens... BANG!!! The main riff is quite a rip off of 16th Century Greensleeves by Rainbow. Did anybody else notice?

Btw: The production finally sounds on par with AMOLAD, maybe better, which is amazaing.
 
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